Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-12
EASTERN.
Trouble in the New Jersey
Legislature.
THE DEMOCRATS WORSTED.
The Department Of Agriculture
and Labor Created-A Coal
Famine Imminent.
I Soectat TO the Herald bu the Associated Press

'.Soectdt TO the Herald bu the Associated Press
TRENTON, N. j., January ll.-Three
o'clock was the hour fixed for the organ
ization of the Legislature, but at that
time the Assembly chamber was still oc.
cupied by the Democrats in caucus, while
the Republicans were stored up at the
other side of the hall. At half.past 3
the Republican caucus closed and the
Senate was called to order shortly before
4 o'clock. AS soon as the roll was called
it was voted to defer the organization of
the body, and an adjournment was taken
till 3 o'clock tomorrow. Meantime the
Demo cratic Assemblymen were vainly
striving to reach an amicable arrange.
ment. Finally the Assembly doors were
flung open and in an instant the galleries
were filled and the Republican members
focked upon the floor. The Democratic
Assemblynen declared that their privacy
had been violated before the caucus was
over. Speaker Armstrong, however,
speaking for the Republicans, declined
to leave. He said the time for organic
ing was past, and his place was in the
chamber. An angry debate followed,
and some one sent to the police station
for aid. A sergeant and three
officers responded. Chairman Beck
with, of the Democratic caucus, then
ordered the Republicans to leave. They
seemed reluctant to do so and he then
directed the police to put out ex-Clerk
Toombs and ex-Sergeant.at-Arms Colfax.
The policemen laid hold on these ex.
officials and forcibly pushed them out
the main door. During this scene the
excitement was intense. The Republi-
can Assemblymen retired into the speak.
er's room and the galleries being cleared
the Democratic caucus proceeded. The
crowd still blocked the corridors and
discussion run high. Suddenly the
galleries were again opened and the
crowd broke in. At the same moment
the Republican Assemblymen gained
admittance from the speakers room and
with them were the two labor members
Carroll and Donohuc together with
Messrs. Wolverton, Baird and Arm wire,
the Democratic boilers. This
made just 81 votes, or majority of the
House. Ex.Speaker Armstrong an.
nounced that this quorum had just or.
ganized the House by the election of DR..
VIM. M. Baird (Dem.) of Warren as
Speaker; Joseph Atkinson Dem of Es.
sex, Clerk; j. Herbert Potts (Rep.) of
Hudson, Reading Clerk; and Terrence
j. Mcdonald (Ind. Dem.) of Hudson,
Sergeant-at.Arms. Thereupon DR.. Baird
proceeded to take the chair. Assembly
man McDermott Dem Of Essex, how
ever. moved that Assemblyman Beck
with be temporary chairman. A combi.
nation opposed this, but Mr.. Beckwith
attempted to take the chair. In the
midst of the struggle for the
gavel. eX-Speaker Armstrong moved
for adjournment till tomorrow, and the
motion prevailed. The excitement OF
the earlier part of the day was as moth :.
ing to that which attended this conven-
ton. One effort is to complicate the
senatorial situation worse that ever.
The Democrats confess that after this
exhibition in their own ranks, they can
predict nothing as to the vote for Sena-
tor. Governor Abbott, however, has
not lost heart. He believes that he can
rally his forces sufficiently to solidify
the Democracy, before the joint meet
ing takes place. The Republicans are
jubilant and the Sewall people are con-
fident.